1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to gaming systems and to gaming machines used to present gaming results. More particularly, the invention relates to gaming systems, machines and methods which generate a scannable physical game component associable with a game.
2. Description of the Related Art
A large number of different gaming machines have been developed to provide various formats and graphic presentations for conducting games and presenting game results. For example, various games may have predetermined designations that may be arranged in a grid or other layout structures. For example, a bingo card may be physically printed on paper or another suitable material, or may be represented by a data structure which defines the various card locations and designations associated with the locations. Various devices and systems have been developed to aid players in playing various wagering games and to enhance player participation in the games, such as through the use of gaming machines and devices.
In one example, the MegaMania® gaming system offered by Multimedia Games, Inc. comprises a bingo gaming system in which players at different gaming facilities over a large geographic area may participate in bingo games. The players participate in bingo games in the MegaMania® system through electronic player stations that are maintained at various gaming facilities across the United States. Electronic bingo gaming systems and electronic player stations may increase the speed at which certain operations in a bingo game may be performed. However, electronically implemented bingo games have eliminated the use of physical bingo cards in the interest of increasing the speed of play. The elimination of the physical bingo card may represent an unwelcome change to some players who are used to participating in bingo games with a physical bingo card. The elimination of the physical bingo card may also prevent these newer electronic systems from being employed under certain regulatory schemes relating to bingo gaming systems.